The objective of this R13 application is to support a Conference Symposium to be held in conjunction with the 9th International Congress of Vertebrate Morphology (ICVM) on July 26th to July 31st, 2010. The Symposium is entitled, "Generation of Morphological Diversity: Developmental Mechanisms of Vertebrate Jaw Evolution" which is a topic directly related to the NIDCR mission to improve oral, dental, and craniofacial health through research, research training, and the dissemination of health information. Overall, the Jaw Symposium will provide disease-based perspectives on jaw patterning and consist of eight speakers who will present evolutionary and developmental mechanisms of normal and abnormal jaw structure and function. Dr. Shigeru Kuratani (RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology) will compare gene evolution, neural crest development, and patterning mechanisms between jawless and jawed vertebrates. Dr. Thomas Shilling (UC Irvine) will report on molecular signaling interactions and developmental regulatory pathways that generate changes in jaw morphology. Dr. Abigail Tucker (King's College) will explain how spatiotemporal changes in transcription factor regulation as well as expression of secreted molecules by the pharyngeal endoderm underlie mandibular arch patterning. Dr. Richard Schneider (UC San Francisco) will provide details on the role of the neural crest in regulating gene expression, musculoskeletal differentiation, and pattern formation in the jaw complex. Dr. Kathleen Smith (Duke University) will describe key molecular and cellular events that are associated with the development of the mammalian jaw complex;Dr. Michael Depew (King's College) will offer a genetic model based on mouse mutants that sheds light on programs and events that shape the jaw skeleton during development and disease. Dr. Patricia Purcell (Harvard University) will present on molecular cues that drive the normal and abnormal patterning and integration of the temporomandibular joint. Dr. Paul Trainor (Stower's Institute) will explain how basic cellular functions and signaling interactions among craniofacial tissues influence the patterned outgrowth of the jaw, especially in the context of human birth defects. The speakers include women and underrepresented groups in science from the United States as well as other countries, and the presentations will span a range of model systems and experimental approaches. There has not been an equivalent scientific meeting of this kind or magnitude in Latin America. Thus, the Jaw Symposium and the ICVM-9 in general will offer an unparalleled forum for the establishment of new scientific collaborations between researchers from the United States, Europe, Asia, with their counterparts from Latin America. Moreover, the Jaw Symposium will present a unique opportunity to recruit students of Hispanic, Latino, and indigenous American ancestry into a field where such individuals continue to be underrepresented. Thus, the Jaw Symposium will be an invaluable recruitment tool to add diversity to our field. The requested budget is to provide support for coach class airfare and on-site lodging expenses for each of the eight confirmed speakers. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Malformations that affect the jaws are some of the most common human birth defects. Identifying molecular and cellular mechanisms that pattern the jaws is crucial for devising novel treatment strategies and ultimately for preventing such birth defects. The proposed Jaw Symposium seeks to address questions of jaw patterning, facilitate new research collaborations in this area, and recruit diverse talent to the field of craniofacial biology.